US Domestic Abusers Are Using Child-Safety Technology to Stalk Their Victims

With a growing number of bad actors attempting to make contact with children online and increasing concerns regarding what websites kids visit, parental monitoring (also known as parental control) apps have become popular. These apps allow parents to monitor their children's online activities, set access controls, and establish time limits for browsing and gaming. They also allow parents to track their children's physical location.

Unfortunately, the functionality that makes parental monitoring apps so valuable to concerned parents also allows domestic abusers to track and stalk their victims. Difficult-to-detect stalking apps using the same surveillance technology make it even easier for dangerous individuals to follow and eavesdrop on their targets clandestinely.

One of the most concerning aspects of all of this is that, if a victim finds stalking software on their device and uninstalls it without first seeking assistance, doing so may alert the stalker and increase the level of danger.

How the apps get installed

Often, a parental monitoring or malicious stalking app is installed on the victim's device by the victim's partner, former partner, spouse, someone the victim works with, or a member of the victim's family. To do this, the stalker or an accomplice must have direct access to the device and, if necessary, the ability to unlock it to facilitate the installation.

These apps are sometimes installed by the victims when threat actors use social engineering tactics to trick them into doing so.

What information can the apps collect and share with a stalker?

These apps allow bad actors to monitor just about everything the victim says or does and track the victim's movements. Criminals can:

???Access device browsing history

???Monitor phone calls

???Monitor face-to-face conversations via the device microphone

???Access the device camera to monitor the victim's activities visually

???Review call logs

???Access saved contacts

???View stored images

???Read emails and text messages

???Track the victim's movements

Checking a device for installed parental monitoring or stalking apps

If an app was designed to allow a parent to monitor a child's location and activities, it shouldn't be difficult to find. These apps aren't designed to hide from device owners. Review the list of apps installed on your device to find them. Some of the top parental monitoring apps are:

???Qustodio

???Life360

???OurPact

???NetNanny

???ScreenTime

???Mobicip

Other apps using similar technology that is designed for the tracking and monitoring of individuals include:

???Spy Tracker

???SMS Tracker

???Phone Cell Tracker

???Mobile Tracking

???Employee Work Spy

Malicious stalking apps may have deceptive names to hide their true purpose. While reviewing your installed apps, you find an application you do not recall installing and?do not use, check the app's access permissions. If it has access to your contacts, email, camera, device microphone, images, phone, and location, you may be a victim of cyberstalking.

What to do if you find stalking software on your device

This may seem counterintuitive, but you should not uninstall the app immediately. If you have any reason to believe that someone is surveilling your activities, uninstalling the app could put you in greater danger.?This is because, if there is a stalker, he or she will find out that it has been uninstalled. Only uninstall a suspected stalking app if you are certain that you are not being tracked for malicious purposes.

If you do believe someone may be tracking your activities and if you find suspicious software on your device, stop using the device immediately. Again, do not uninstall the app. Contact your local law enforcement agency for assistance. If you are already involved in legal action with your stalker, speak with your attorney. If you have access to a domestic violence advocacy organization or shelter, they may also help you.

Preventing the installation of surveillance apps on your device

Ensure you set up screen locking on your device and?use a secure PIN or biometrics to prevent unauthorized access. It's not a good idea to loan out your device, even if a family member or friend is asking. Although the borrower may not be a threat, the fact that the device is not under your control increases the possibility that malware could be installed.?Never leave your devices unattended or unsecured, especially in a public place.

In some instances, bad actors may use social engineering tactics to try and trick their victims into installing surveillance software. If you receive an email, text message, or social media message that includes a link to download and install an app, do not click the link. If you are interested in finding out more about the app, do your own research. Read reviews and complaints relating to the app. Find out what the app does and what access permissions it requires. Finally, never install an app that is not available on your device's official app store, like the Apple App Store or Google Play. Installing an app from a third-party provider, perhaps by clicking a link in a phishing message, increases the chances that the app could be malicious.

Ensure you have antivirus/anti-malware software installed on all your devices and that the applications are set to automatically install new virus definitions. Ensure they are also configured to scan for and mitigate threats regularly.

Summing up...

Technology meant to help protect children from criminals is now being used by cyber stalkers. New stalking apps using the same technology designed specifically for tracking adults, including domestic violence victims, are now readily available. If you believe you are a cyberstalking victim and may have malicious tracking software installed on your device, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately—only attempt to uninstall the app after seeking assistance.

Help for cyberstalking victims is also available via the US National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. You'll find additional information regarding stalker software at the Coalition Against Stalkerware website, stopstalkerware.org.

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